Fire-extinguishing system.



No. 787,505. PATENTED APR. 18 1 905.

J. FIDDES & J. F. WATT.

FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED 1111.23, 1905;

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PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES FIDDES AND JOHN FORDYOE WATT, OF ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,505, dated Apri 18, 1905.

Application filed January 23, 1905. Serial No. 242,343.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES FIDDEs and J OHN FoRDYcE WVATT, subjects of the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and residents of Aberdeen, in the county of Aberdeen, Scotland, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire- Extinguishing Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a fire-extinguishing system comprising water-sprinklers or like devices connected to a water or other fluiddischarge pipe, with means for maintaining said pipes dry or empty without compressing air in said pipes and means for automatically admitting fluid to said pipes when the sprinklers are automatically opened on outbreak of fire. Under the invention the valve normally preventing access of water to the dischargepipes is maintained on its seat by the action on a diaphragm of air compressed within metal tubing, which may be led alongside the discharge-pipes, and on the outbreak of fire and the compressed air escaping the said valve rises from its seat, so as to admit Water to said pipes. By having the means for permitting escape of compressed air more sensitive than the automatic device for opening the sprinkler-outlets the escape of compressed air and the admission of fluid to the dischargepipes take place in advance of the opening of the sprinkler-outlet, so that immediately the sprinkleris actuated the fluid has an unrestricted discharge. On the other hand, should either the means normally closing the sprinkler-outlet or the means normally preventing escape of air he accidentally broken or removed there will be no discharge of water, which, indeed, can only take place when both the water and the air outlets are open at the same time a coincidence not likely to arise from accident.

In the accompanying drawings, Which illustrate theinvention, Figure 1 is a part-sectional elevation showing more or less diagrammatically an automatic fire-extinguishing system fitted in rooms on different floors. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, to enlarged scale, showing the diaphragm apparatus that, normally holds closed a valve interposed in the watersupply pipe, but allows said valve to rise oflf its seat at the time any sprinkler is actuated.

Referring to the drawings, to a water-main cl are connected branch Water-pipes 0, provided with a series of discharge-boxes Z). Equidistant from the discharge-boxes are brackets e, adjust-ably mounted on the pipes c, and connected to said brackets is or are a stretched metal wire or wires (0, supportinga slotted lever, which in turn embraces a glass dome normally closing the sprinkler-outlet, as fully described in the specification of our copending application for patent, Serial No. 225,454.

Preferably alongside each pipe 0 and adjacent to the ceiling for each story is led a seamless brass or other metal tube g filled with; compressed air. A metal junction-piece in' terposed in said tubing is provided with a tubular glass dome or bulb or other frangible device normally preventing escape of air from said tubing, but automatically fractured on sudden rise of temperature upon the release of a slotted lever normally supported from a stretched wire by means of a pin entering a recess in the Weighted end of the lever, as fully described in the specification of our copending application Serial No. 242,344. The

ing the rubber diaphragm is led a branch tube; 0. The diaphragm is normally forced up bythe air-pressure and acts, through the lever 01 and the spindle 0, to press down on its seat-a valve 0 in the water-main d. A stop-Valve p, operated by hand, is likewise provided, so as to completely out off the supply of water to the pipes c after a fire is extinguished, but before the spindle 0 is again depressed. A

Water-gage q is also provided, and the airpressure is regulated, through the medium of the diaphragm apparatus, to press down on its seat the stop-valve in the junction-piece 0 against the upward pressure of the water, and thus keep the pipes 0 dry or empty without compressing air in said pipes.

Connected to an extension of the tube 0 is an air-pressure gage r, the pointer of which gage may be arranged, on its being turned owing to undue fall of pressure on account of leakage, to close an electrical circuit and ring an alarm-bell 1*. Each of the air-tubes g extends from the main ductlt' to a combined pressure-gage and signal device fully described in our copending application Serial No. 242,344.

On outbreak of fire, the pin supporting the sprinkler-lever being longer than the pin supporting the lever that fractures the device normally stopping escape of air, said last-named lever is under the same conditions released in advance of the first-named lever. Consequently, the device for opening the outlet from the air-tubing being more sensitive than the devices for opening the sprinkler outlet or outlets, the compressed air in the air-tubing will first escape, and on reduction of pressure in the tubing and the diaphragm yielding water will be admitted to the pipes 0, and when the expansion of the wire a automatically effects the opening of the spriukler outlet the water will instantaneously discharge from the sprinklers. ()n the other band, should either the frangible device closing a sprinkler-outlet or the dome or the like closing the outlet from an air-tube be accidentally broken there will be no discharge of water.

I/Vhile the invention has been described more especially with reference to the improvements set forth in our copending applications Serial Nos. 225,454 and 242,344, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific constructions therein shown, but the pneumatic system may be adapted to existing sprinkler apparatus and the sprinkler apparatus may be adopted,in connection with other means, for maintaining the water-pipes normally dry or empty, as will be understood.-

Having now described our invention, what We claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus, in combination, a water-pipe, a sprinkler, normally inactive, fitted on said pipe, automatically-acting devices forrendering said sprinkler active, air-tubing filled with compressed air, a frangible outlet in said tubing, a stretched wire, means adapted on expansion of said wire to destroy said connection, a valve normally preventing passage of water into said pipe, and means actuated on escape of air from said tubing to open said valve, substantially as described.

2. In automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus, in combination, a Water-pipe, a sprinkler, normally inactive, fitted on said pipe, automatically-acting devices for rendering said sprinkler active, air-tubing filled with compressed air, a frangible outlet in said tubing, a stretched wire, a Weight supported from said wire and released on expansion of said wire to fracture said frangible outlet, a valve normally preventing passage of water to said pipe and means actuated on escape of air from said tubing, to open said valve, substantially as described.

3. In automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus, in combination, a water branch pipe, a sprinkler, normally inactive, fitted on said pipe, automatically-acting devices for rendering said sprinkler active, air -tubing filled with compressed air, afrangible outlet in said tubing, a stretched wire, means adapted on expansion of said wire to fracture said frangible outlet, a valve normally preventing passage of Water to said pipe, devices actuated on escape of air to open said valve, and an alarm actuated on reduction of air-pressure in said tubing, substantially as described.

4. In automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus, in combination, a water branch pipe, a sprinkler normally inactive fitted on said pipe, automatically-acting devices for rendering said sprinkler active, air-tubing filled with compressed air, a frangible outletin said airtubing, automatic means, more sensitive than said sprinkler-actuating means, adapted on abnormal rise of temperature to fracture said frangible outlet to permit escape of air from said tubing, a valve adapted to prevent passage of water into said pipe, and diaphragm apparatus connected to said tubing, normally holding said valve closed and adapted on reduction of air-pressure in said tubing to permit said valve to rise off its seat to admit Water to the sprinklers, substantially as described.

5. In automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus, in combination, a water branch pipe, a sprinkler normallyinactive fitted on said pipe,

automatically-acting devices for renderingsaid sprinkler active, air-tubing filled with compressed air, a frangible outlet in said tubing, a stretched wire. a weighted lever, a catch supporting said lever from said wire and adapted on expansion of said wire to release said lever to fracture said frangible outlet, a valve normally preventing passage of water to said pipe, and diaphragm apparatus actuated on escape of air from said tubing to open said valve.

6. In automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus, in combination, a water-pipe, a sprinkler connected to said water-pipe, a frangible outlet, means normally maintaining said waterpipe dry Without compressing air in said pipe, automatically-acting devices for fracturing said frangible outlet so as to open said sprinkler, and automatic devices more sensitive than said first-mentioned devices and adapted on sudden rise of temperature to effect admission of'water to said pipe.

7. In automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus, in combination, a water-pipe, a valve, means normally maintaining said valve in position to prevent passage of Water to said pipe, a sprinkler fitted on said water-pipe,frangible means normally closing the sprinklerorifice, automatically-acting devices for fracturing the orifice-closing means, and automatic devices more sensitive than said firstmentioned devices and adapted on sudden rise of temperature to permit said valve to rise off its seat to admit water to said sprinkler.

8. In automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus, in combination, a Water branch pipe normally kept dry without compressing air in said pipe, sprinkler devices normally inactive fitted on said pipe, automatic means adapted on sudden rise of temperature to render said sprinklers active, air-tubing filled with compressed air, a frangible outlet in said air-tubing, automatic means, more sensitive than said sprinkler-actuating means, adapted on abnormal rise of temperature to fracture said outlet to permit escape of air from said tubing, a valve adapted to prevent passage of water to said pipe, diaphragm apparatus connected to said tubing, normally holding said valve closed, and adapted, on reduction of air-pressure in said tubing, to permit said valve to open to admit water to the sprinklers, and an alarm operated on reduction of airpressure in the tubing.

9. In automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus, in combination, a water branch pip'e normally kept dry without compressing air in said pipe, sprinkler devices, normally inactive, fitted on said pipe, a stretched wire adapted on expansion to render said sprinklers active, air-tubing filled with compressed air, a frangible outlet in said air-tubing, a second stretched wire, means operated on expansion of said second wire to fracture said frangible outlet to permit escape of air from said tubing, a valve adapted to prevent passage of Water to said Water-pipe,and diaphragm apparatus connected to said tubing, normally holding said valve closed, and adapted on reduction of airpressure in the tubing to permit said valve to rise ofi its seat to admit water to said Waterp1pe.

10. In automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus, in combination, a water branch pipe normally kept dry without compressing air in said pipe, said pipe having a discharge-orifice, a fragile dome normally closing the orifice, 'a stretched wire, a weighted lever, meansnormally supporting said lever from said wire but adapted on undue expansion of said wire to release said lever to break said dome, an airtube filled with compressed air, a frangible outlet in said tube, a second stretched wire, a second Weighted lever, means normally supporting said second lever from said second wire and adapted on dilation of said second wire to release said second lever to break said frangible outlet, a valve adapted to prevent passage of Water to said branch pipe, and diaphragm apparatus normally holding said valve closed, but adapted, on reduction of air-pressure in said tubing to permit said valve to rise off its seat to admit water to said branch pipe.

11. In automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus, in combination, water branch pipes normally kept dry Without compressing air in said pipes, sprinkler devices normally inactive fitted on said pipes, stretched Wire's, devices adapted on expansion of said wires to render said sprinklers active, an air-duct, branch airtubes, back-pressure valves connected to said air-tubes, an air-pump for filling said air-duct and branch tubes with compressed air, frangible outlets in said air-tubes, stretched wires, means more sensitive than said sprinkler-actuating means adapted on dilation of said lastnamed wires to break said frangible outlets, a valve adapted to prevent access of water to said pipes, and diaphragm apparatus normally holding said valve closed but on escape of air permitting said valve to open to admit water to said pipes.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES FIDDES. 1 JOHN FORDYGE WATT.

Witnesses:

WALLACE FAIRWEATHER, W. HOWIESON. 

